We have decided to take more incisive actions to progressively reduce CO₂ emissions, optimizing existing technologies and laying the foundations for potential innovations that will lead to the production of “net zero emissions” cement.

Our key actions to reduce CO2 emissions are:

  • Scope 1

    Scope 1 direct emission reduction

    • 458 kg of CO2 per ton of grey cement (gross)
    • 737 kg of CO2 per ton of white cement (gross)1

    1 Note: special product with niche applications and markets (0.5% of total world cement production).


    Scope 1 emissions are direct GHG emissions from assets owned or that the company directly controls, such as for example the emissions resulting from limestone calcination, which when heated to high temperatures releases CO2, from the combustion of fossil fuels or from internal transport.

    Our key actions:

    1. Reduction of clinker content down to 63% for grey cement and 78% for white cement by replacing clinker with alternative decarbonated mineral additives such as fly ash and slag and by developing a new cement “low carbon”, FUTURECEM®, which allows to reduce CO2 emissions by over 30%.
    2. Replacement of fossil fuels with alternative fuels. We will replace fossil fuels with waste-derived fuels and biomass fuels. For grey cement, by 2030, Cementir will use 48% alternative fuel, while for white cement alternative fuels will amount to 14%.
    3. Natural gas line to the plant located in Denmark and installation of multi-fuel burners in the kilns. For the Danish plant, we plan a partial transition in fuel consumption from petcoke to natural gas. The switching to natural gas, a fossil fuel with emissions much lower than petcoke, is a transitional solution and essential for Cementir’s transition to net-zero emissions.
    4. Energy recovery: the Aalborg plant recovers excess heat from cement production to provide district heating to the local community. The recovered thermal energy is used to provide heating to around 20,000 families in the city of Aalborg, Denmark with the aim of increasing this figure to over 30,000.
    5. Carbon Capture and storage technology: Cementir has investigated for several years the potential for implementation of carbon capture at its cement plants. As part of this, the Group is completing/participating in projects, providing knowledge and experience in all relevant aspects for the value-chain from carbon capture to use or transport and storage of CO2. Discover all the projects here. 


    To facilitate the Group's transition to a low-carbon economy, any investment decision is based on an internal CO2 price to determine the profitability of each investment and tested under multiple scenario analyses to 2030.

     

    Investments included in the Industrial Plan period (2024-2026)

    The 2024-26 Industrial Plan, approved by the Board of Directors in February 2024, targets 100 million Euro investments in Sustainability, which will include, among others:

    • the revamping of the kiln at our Belgian plant in order to increase alternative fuels use from the current 40% to over 70%
    • the switch to natural gas in some of the Group's plants
    • the preparation of the structures necessary for the production of FUTURECEM® in Denmark
    • the increase in the use of alternative fuels in Türkiye
    • other projects to reduce the climate impact of transport, procurement, logistics
    • optimisation of water resources usage in the production process.

    Our 2030 targets

    GREY CEMENT202020212022202320252030
    Use of traditional fuels in %72%70%68%67%61%52%
    Use of alternative fuels in %28%30%32%33%39%48%
    Clinker ratio82%81%80%79%75%64%
    CO2 emissions (kg CO2/ton cement)718684672655617458
    Reduction versus 2020 -5%-6%-9%-14%-36%

     

    WHITE CEMENT202020212022202320252030
    Use of traditional fuels in %85%85%85%82%82%54%
    Use of natural gas in %12%12%13%16%16%32%
    Use of alternative fuels in %3%3%2%2%2%14%
    Clinker ratio82%83%81%79%79%78%
    CO2 emissions (kg CO2/ton of cement)915919886846845737
    Reduction versus 2020 0%-3%-7%-8%-19%
  • Scope 2

    Scope 2 direct emission reduction

    • -29% of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030 (vs. 2021)
       

    Scope 2 emissions include indirect emissions from the generation of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat or cooling. For example, they are related to the electricity used in the cement grinding mills.

    Our key actions:

    Use of electricity produced from renewable sources: through solar energy or by increasing the purchase of electricity from renewable sources from third parties.

     

  • Scope 3

    Scope 3 indirect emission reduction

    Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in Scope 2) that occur in the value chain and include both upstream and downstream emissions, such as those relating to supply chain, to the extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels, and to transportation. They account for 26% of Cementir’s carbon footprint.

    Our key actions and objectives:

    From 2020, Cementir has started to calculate its Scope 3 emissions by raising awareness of climate change among its suppliers and understanding where to prioritise reductions in the value chain according to science-based guidelines. 

    In addition, the supplier engagement process has been enriched through participation in the CDP Supply Chain Programme. Since 2020, an increasing number of strategic suppliers have been asked to complete the Climate Change Questionnaire. In this questionnaire, suppliers disclose information on their climate change risks and opportunities, emissions data, details of their emissions management strategy - including targets - and the actions they have taken to mitigate their emissions.

    From 2023 onwards, the supplier engagement process has been enriched with an invitation to complete the Water Security Questionnaire. This specific module facilitates the identification of water resources used by suppliers in their direct operations and supply chain, their water risk assessment processes and their risk mitigation strategies/opportunities.

    Cementir’s strategy underlines the growing importance that the Group places on the preservation and protection of these valuable shared natural resources.

    As in previous years, the engagement has been focused on the Group’s top suppliers, those considered strategic by the Group based on factors such as share of spending, geographical location, type of raw material and services provided.

    Below are the results of the 2023 supplier engagement for both questionnaires.

    CDP Supply Chain – Climate Change 

    • The number of suppliers responding to Climate Change increased by 13 suppliers (1.26x) when compared to 2022
    • The highest responding industry was the one of Materials
    • The highest responding country was the United States of America
    • 90% of responding suppliers have emission reduction initiatives in place
    • 67% of responding suppliers have a transition plan aligned to a 1.5-degree world.
       
     2023202220212020
    A) Suppliers involved1541107555
    B) Suppliers that responded63432917
    C) Response rate (B/A)41%39%39%31%

    CDP Supply Chain – Water Security 

    • 100% of responding suppliers have a risk assessment procedure in place 
    • 85% of responding suppliers report withdrawal from water stressed areas
    • 100% of responding suppliers report water management at the C-suite level
    • 91% of responding suppliers report water targets or goals, with a proponderance of WASH targets
       
     2023
    A) Suppliers involved154
    B) Suppliers that responded34
    C) Response rate (B/A)22%

    To support supplier engagement and increase response rates, dedicated supplier training webinars have been held since 2020. 
    These trainings aim to communicate the importance and benefits of transparent reporting on emissions and climate impact. 
    Each supplier has been invited to disclose information about its risks and opportunities associated with climate change, its emissions, details on its emissions management strategy such as targets, and actions it has taken to reduce its emissions.

Collaboration with local institutions for the reduction of CO2 emissions

Cementir actively collaborates with local Danish institutions to contain CO2 emissions.

Our key actions:

  1. Energy recovery: in Aalborg we recover excess heat from cement production to provide district heating to local households. The recovered thermal energy is used for heating around 30,000 homes in the city of Aalborg, Denmark. In 2023, the Aalborg plant supplied approximately 1 million GJ of energy to the Municipality of Aalborg, saving 150,000 tons of CO₂ annually.
  2. Commitment to public policies related to carbon emissions. Cementir actively participates in discussions regarding Danish industrial policy at national and global level, involving, among other issues: climate change, sustainable infrastructures, circular economy, alternative fuels and waste management frameworks. Since November 2019, the Group has been involved in the most ambitious CO2 reduction project sponsored by a national government, the Danish one. Through the CEO of the associate Aalborg Portland, Cementir is leading the climate partnership for the Danish energy-intensive industry; the technical working group will provide the Danish government with the forecast of the achievable CO2 reduction potential and define the prerequisites (policies, research, innovation, subsidies, etc.).
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